So I Had An "Adventure"...
My lower back, ass, and particularly my thighs are "saddle sore" as fuck. My clothing from yesterday is covered in muddy splatter and torn in a few few places. I probably stank to high heaven when I walked in the door, last night. And yet, my brain is swimming in endorphins. Why? Allow me to set the scene…
Recently I've been doing a great deal of cycling. Partly because it's good for my over-all health, but mostly because I just plain enjoy it. Trouble is, I've been biking the same trails now for over two or three months, and I'm starting to get…not bored, per se, but I could definitely use a change in scenery. So I did what any sporting devoteé would do: looked on a map and sought out new trails.
I had a Plan. The Plan was to make use of the Ulster-Poughkeepsie Link to get over to Rosendale, whereupon I'd ride the Walkill Valley Rail Trail to New Paltz. From New Paltz I know my way home quite well. The Plan was to leave early enough in the day so that, if necessary, I could catch a return bus home. (The Walkway Over the Hudson-usually just called "The Walkway"-a former rail bridge converted into a pedestrian & cycling pathway, is my chief means of crossing the river, but it closes at dusk.) The Plan got delayed by things like Life and mizuki_hana2 and such, to the point where I ended up taking the last bus across. Still, it was early enough in the afternoon and I'm a skilled enough cyclist that I figured I had enough time to make it home well in time for dinner.
What's that famous saying by Sun Tzu? "No plan survives contact with the enemy." Or in this case, the County of Ulster's less-than-tourist-friendly planning.
The rail trail on my side of the River Hudson-connecting the Walkway with towns as far south as Hopewell-is paved, has visible mile markers, and obvious trailheads that clearly identify where the fuck you are. The Walkill Valley Rail Trail, on the other hand, does not. It is composed of mostly dirt (mud if it has rained recently) or if you're lucky, gravel. There are no mile markers. Very few "You Are Here" signs, which really aren't terribly helpful if you've no idea where "here" is. Worse yet, it seems the majority of the local population doesn't even know the damned thing exists, or if they do, have only the vaguest notion of where it's located.
This is not to take away from the natural beauty inherent in the trail. In fact, I'd be tempted to say that on that score, Ulster has Dutchess beat. But that is an accident of Nature. (They got the cooler mountains.) However, our trail is better connected, better maintained, and more tourist-friendly.
All of this is to set the following scene: I ride the bus to Rosendale as planned. I disembark with my bike at the park-and-ride, and then proceed to spend the next 5-10 minutes finding someone who can direct me to the trailhead. Eventually I do, and I begin my journey. Then I come across something you really only find on that side of the River. A group of people tent camping next to a ramshackle food stand, apparently set up for the very purpose of serving travelers along this path. They even advertised "evening music". Groovy. I chilled for a bit, took in the vibe, and proceeded on my way.
And when leaving the camping/picnic ground, where I ought've turned right, I turned left. And to quote Robert Frost: "That has made all the difference."
Reviewing my GPS recorder later I found out that I ended up head north nearly a third of the way to Kingston before a nice friendly family, traveling the other way, clued me in. Mortified & slightly panicked I might not make it back to the Walkway before it closed, I hightailed it through mud, grit, scree, and whatever else I needed to in order to get to New Paltz. Nearly there…and the bridge that crosses the Walkill River was (and still is) "under repair". Because of course. So I took the main road. I attended SUNY New Paltz, back in the day, so I'm more than a little familiar with the area. And then: "Road Closed for Construction. Local Traffic Only. Use Detour."
Y'know what? Fuck you! I am not riding four miles out of my way just 'cause you say so. I'm riding a mountain bike; I can take it. So I do. And I make it across the Walkill (hey, cars gotta cross too, y'know) to New Paltz where I take a much deserved break, refill my water bottle with tasty, tasty fresh-squeezed lemonade, and walk my ass & bike up Main Street. (Anyone who's ever been to New Paltz knows it's a fool's errand to try to ride up Main Street. It's a pedestrian town anyway; may as well go with the flow. 'Sides, I was fucking exhausted!)
The rest of the journey home was predictable. I've ridden the route before so I knew all the stops & turns & landmarks. Amazingly, I managed to make it to the Walkway at 7:56pm. There were still plenty of folk on the bridge (thank you summertime!) so I was able to cross without issue. Amazingly, even at my bike's top speed & with me pumping hell-bent for leather, it still takes a full eight minutes to cross that damned bridge. I knew it was the tallest rail crossing at the time of its construction, but I hadn't realized it was also the longest.
Next time I do this, I'll have it better planned out, to be sure! Do it during a weekday when the buses run more frequently, and bring more cash for resupply. (And a better map!) But now I think I've got an excellent day-trip idea for the Gnome & I. (I very much doubt the Katydid would tolerate the mud.) Maybe even an early birthday present(?)
Recently I've been doing a great deal of cycling. Partly because it's good for my over-all health, but mostly because I just plain enjoy it. Trouble is, I've been biking the same trails now for over two or three months, and I'm starting to get…not bored, per se, but I could definitely use a change in scenery. So I did what any sporting devoteé would do: looked on a map and sought out new trails.
I had a Plan. The Plan was to make use of the Ulster-Poughkeepsie Link to get over to Rosendale, whereupon I'd ride the Walkill Valley Rail Trail to New Paltz. From New Paltz I know my way home quite well. The Plan was to leave early enough in the day so that, if necessary, I could catch a return bus home. (The Walkway Over the Hudson-usually just called "The Walkway"-a former rail bridge converted into a pedestrian & cycling pathway, is my chief means of crossing the river, but it closes at dusk.) The Plan got delayed by things like Life and mizuki_hana2 and such, to the point where I ended up taking the last bus across. Still, it was early enough in the afternoon and I'm a skilled enough cyclist that I figured I had enough time to make it home well in time for dinner.
What's that famous saying by Sun Tzu? "No plan survives contact with the enemy." Or in this case, the County of Ulster's less-than-tourist-friendly planning.
The rail trail on my side of the River Hudson-connecting the Walkway with towns as far south as Hopewell-is paved, has visible mile markers, and obvious trailheads that clearly identify where the fuck you are. The Walkill Valley Rail Trail, on the other hand, does not. It is composed of mostly dirt (mud if it has rained recently) or if you're lucky, gravel. There are no mile markers. Very few "You Are Here" signs, which really aren't terribly helpful if you've no idea where "here" is. Worse yet, it seems the majority of the local population doesn't even know the damned thing exists, or if they do, have only the vaguest notion of where it's located.
This is not to take away from the natural beauty inherent in the trail. In fact, I'd be tempted to say that on that score, Ulster has Dutchess beat. But that is an accident of Nature. (They got the cooler mountains.) However, our trail is better connected, better maintained, and more tourist-friendly.
All of this is to set the following scene: I ride the bus to Rosendale as planned. I disembark with my bike at the park-and-ride, and then proceed to spend the next 5-10 minutes finding someone who can direct me to the trailhead. Eventually I do, and I begin my journey. Then I come across something you really only find on that side of the River. A group of people tent camping next to a ramshackle food stand, apparently set up for the very purpose of serving travelers along this path. They even advertised "evening music". Groovy. I chilled for a bit, took in the vibe, and proceeded on my way.
And when leaving the camping/picnic ground, where I ought've turned right, I turned left. And to quote Robert Frost: "That has made all the difference."
Reviewing my GPS recorder later I found out that I ended up head north nearly a third of the way to Kingston before a nice friendly family, traveling the other way, clued me in. Mortified & slightly panicked I might not make it back to the Walkway before it closed, I hightailed it through mud, grit, scree, and whatever else I needed to in order to get to New Paltz. Nearly there…and the bridge that crosses the Walkill River was (and still is) "under repair". Because of course. So I took the main road. I attended SUNY New Paltz, back in the day, so I'm more than a little familiar with the area. And then: "Road Closed for Construction. Local Traffic Only. Use Detour."
Y'know what? Fuck you! I am not riding four miles out of my way just 'cause you say so. I'm riding a mountain bike; I can take it. So I do. And I make it across the Walkill (hey, cars gotta cross too, y'know) to New Paltz where I take a much deserved break, refill my water bottle with tasty, tasty fresh-squeezed lemonade, and walk my ass & bike up Main Street. (Anyone who's ever been to New Paltz knows it's a fool's errand to try to ride up Main Street. It's a pedestrian town anyway; may as well go with the flow. 'Sides, I was fucking exhausted!)
The rest of the journey home was predictable. I've ridden the route before so I knew all the stops & turns & landmarks. Amazingly, I managed to make it to the Walkway at 7:56pm. There were still plenty of folk on the bridge (thank you summertime!) so I was able to cross without issue. Amazingly, even at my bike's top speed & with me pumping hell-bent for leather, it still takes a full eight minutes to cross that damned bridge. I knew it was the tallest rail crossing at the time of its construction, but I hadn't realized it was also the longest.
Next time I do this, I'll have it better planned out, to be sure! Do it during a weekday when the buses run more frequently, and bring more cash for resupply. (And a better map!) But now I think I've got an excellent day-trip idea for the Gnome & I. (I very much doubt the Katydid would tolerate the mud.) Maybe even an early birthday present(?)